Anesthesia Options

Local Anesthesia

Local anesthesia involves "numbing" the area to be involved with the surgery. Many patients have had this experience in the dentist's office when having fillings or crowns placed. Simple tooth extractions can often be done with local anesthesia only. Occasionally, teeth that are causing significant discomfort or have been infected can be difficult to completely anesthetize with local alone. In these cases it is often best to supplement the local anesthesia with intravenous anesthesia.

Intravenous Anesthesia

Intravenous anesthesia involves starting an intravenous infusion and administering certain sedative and/or general anesthetic medications to achieve a profoundly relaxed state where patient anxieties about the surgical procedure vanish. Local anesthesia is still administered, but after the intravenous anesthetic medications have taken effect. The level of intravenous anesthesia varies from patient to patient depending on the length and difficulty of the procedure to be accomplished and the overall health of the patient. First in our minds as we consider the level of intravenous anesthesia is patient safety.

Kiddie Cocktail

Young children often do well with a kiddie cocktail. This consists of sedative medication mixed in juice or a soft drink that sedates the child. The dosage given is based on weight and experience has shown us that the cocktail works well until the child reaches about 50 pounds. Beyond that weight range, it usually requires the intravenous anesthesia to achieve the desired level of sedation. If the child will not drink the cocktail, the same sedative medications can be administered as an intramuscular injection or "shot."

Nitrous Oxide "laughing gas"

Nitrous oxide or "laughing gas" can be used to supplement any of these techniques but is usually not used as the sole agent to achieve the relaxed effect. Its effect from one patient to the next is highly variable and as surgeons we cannot always depend that the level of effect will be enough to relax the patient. Many have had nitrous oxide in the past and like the effect it has and specifically request it. It tends to work pretty well in willing children.

What do we recommend? Simple, quick procedures can often be accomplished easily with local anesthesia. This includes most single tooth extractions and biopsies. Procedures that are going to be more difficult, teeth that are causing a lot of pain, and patients that suffer significant anxiety about having the procedure done will do best with intravenous anesthesia. Patients having wisdom teeth extracted or multiple teeth extracted will do well with the intravenous anesthesia. Ultimately, the doctor can help decide or give a specific recommendation as to what will be best in each individual situation. If you have more questions than are answered here or by a phone call, you may want to come in for a presurgical consultation. Otherwise the doctor can address your specific questions when you arrive for surgery.

All of our doctors are well trained and highly skilled in the administration of these various forms of anesthesia. Our foremost concern is patient comfort and safety. We use all the appropriate monitors on each patient and re-train every two years to be able to manage any emergency that may arise.

 Please wear loose fitting clothing with sleeves which can be rolled up past the elbow, and low-heeled shoes. Jewelry and dentures must be removed at the time of surgery.